Symmerista, HUBNER, 1821

38. SYMMERISTA HÜBNER, 1821 View in CoL

Symmerista Hübner, [1821] Verzeichniss bekannter Schmettlinge [sic], p. 248. Type species: Noctua albicosta Hübner (= Phalaena albifrons J.E. Smith ) designation by Kirby 1892, A Synonymic Catalogue of Lepidoptera Heterocera (moths), 1: 572.

Adults. ( Figure 4A View FIGURE 4 , 11K View FIGURE 11 ) Head: male antennae bipectinate to basal half, female antennae simple filiform; antennal tuft reduced; third segment of labial palpi short; haustellum reduced; ocelli absent. Thorax: tarsal claws bifid; male prothoracic leg without scent pocket. Wings: forewing ground color gray, a silvery white subcostal stripe extending from antemedial line to apex. Posterior margin of stripe with a large tooth, accessory cell present. Hind wing gray or white. Abdomen: short hair-like scales and flat scales. Male terminalia ( Figure 8G View FIGURE 8 ): eighth tergite with midplate; eighth sternite lyre-shaped. Uncus hood-like; socii short, wide at their bases, small and flanged at their apices; costulae absent; SSO small and sclerotized densely spinulose; juxta circular. Aedeagus thick, flanged, apex with a large ventral or lateral process; vesica with cornute. Female terminalia: eighth tergite roof-like; anterior apophyses short; ostium ovoid; ductus bursae wide and sclerotized; corpus bursae round; signum usually absent; posterior apophyses long and thin; papillae anales moderate membranous.

Diagnosis. The genus can be recognized by the reduced haustellum, the configuration of the socii-uncus, and the prominent, silvery-white subcostal stripe extending from antemedial line to apex ( Miller et al. 2021). Throughout most of its range in North America it cannot be confused with any other notodontid genus.

Comments. The genus shows stronger North American representation than most Nystaleinae and also remains one of the most taxonomically challenging genera since the group appears to be undergoing rapid speciation given the recent CO1 barcode divergence ( Miller et al. 2021). Genitalia figures can be found in Miller et al. (2021).

Distribution. Canada to Panamá.

Species included (20).

Symmerista albifrons (J. E. Smith, 1797) *

Symmerista aura Chacón, 2014 View in CoL

Symmerista bifida Thiaucourt, 2007 View in CoL

Symmerista caeca Thiaucourt, 2007

Symmerista canicosta Franclemont, 1946

Symmerista difficilis Draudt, 1932

Symmerista dispina Thiaucourt, 2007

Symmerista inbioi Chacón, 2014 View in CoL

Symmerista jalapae Draudt, 1932 View in CoL

Symmerista leucitys Franclemont, 1946

Symmerista luisdiegogomezi Chacón, 2014 View in CoL

Symmerista meridionalis Thiaucourt, 2007 View in CoL

Symmerista minaei Chacón, 2014 View in CoL

Symmerista odontomys Dyar, 1918 View in CoL

Symmerista paquitae Thiaucourt, 2007

Symmerista schmidti Miller, 2021 View in CoL

Symmerista signijicans Thiaucourt, 2007

Symmerista solistella Miller, 2021 View in CoL

Symmerista suavis (Barnes, 1901) View in CoL

Symmerista zacualpana Draudt, 1932